How to Take Inventory of Your Household Supplies

As the year comes to an end, it may be time to clean out those closets and cabinets that often become disorganized throughout the year. Many items like spices, medicines and cleaning supplies have expiration dates, but are they all really worth throwing out? In this post, we’ll help you decide what to toss, what to keep and how to re-organize.

Items to Evaluate

Spices

Spices don’t expire like food, but they do lose flavor over time. If the spice still has a strong smell, rich color, and taste - you’re okay! If not, we recommend throwing it away. Check out this spice timeline from Eat by Date for all your spices’ shelf lives.

Over-the-counter Medicine

We all have half-empty bottles of OTC medicine in our cabinet, but how often do we check the expiration date when we catch a cold? Luckily, most over-the-counter medicine can last years after its expiration date. Antibiotics, children’s medications, liquids and lifesaving meds, however, should be discarded after expiration.

Cleaning Supplies

To keep your home germ-free during cold and flu months, discard disinfectants after three months, which is when they begin to lose effectiveness, and get rid of bleach and laundry detergent after six months.

How to Reorganize

Now that you’ve cleaned out some of your cabinets and closets, it’s time to organize! Using a Premium 3 Tier Spice Rack, organize spices alphabetically to make them easy to find and never forgotten.